Epistaxis (from Greek επιστάζω (epistazo) to bleed from the nose: επί (epi) - "above", "over" + στάζω (stazo) - "to drip" [from the nostrils]) or a nosebleed is the relatively common occurrence of hemorrhage from the nose, usually noticed when the blood drains out through the nostrils.
There are two types: anterior (the most common), and posterior (less
common, more likely to require medical attention). Sometimes in more
severe cases, the blood can come up the nasolacrimal duct and out from the eye. Fresh blood and clotted blood can also flow down into the stomach and cause nausea and vomiting.
Cause
The nose is a part of the body rich in blood vessels (vascular) and is situated in a vulnerable position as it protrudes on the face. As a result, trauma to the face can cause nasal injury and bleeding. The bleeding may be profuse, or simply a minor complication. Nosebleeds can occur spontaneously when the nasal membranes dry out and crack. This is common in dry climates, or during the winter months when the air is dry and warm from household heaters. People are more susceptible to a bloody nose if they are taking medications which prevent normal blood clotting warfarin (Coumadin), aspirin, or any anti-inflammatory medication]. In this situation, even a minor trauma could result in significant bleeding.The incidence of nosebleeds is higher during the colder winter months when upper respiratory infections are more frequent, and the temperature and humidity fluctuate more dramatically. In addition, changes from a bitter cold outside environment to a warm, dry, heated home results in drying and changes in the nose which will make it more susceptible to bleeding. Nosebleeds also occur in hot dry climates with low humidity, or when there is a change in the seasons. The following factors predispose people to nosebleeds:
- Infection
- Trauma, including self-induced by nose picking, especially in children
- Allergic and non-allergic rhinitis
- Hypertension
- Use of blood thinning medications
- Alcohol abuse
- Less common causes include tumors and inherited bleeding problems
Nose; epistaxis, hemorrhage:
ABROT ACON ADAM AGAR AIDS ALL-C ALOE ALUM ALUMN AM-C AM-M AMBR ANAC ANAG ANT-C ANT-S ANT-T ANTIPYRIN APIS ARG ARG-N ARN ARS ARS-I ARUM-T ASTER AUR-M BALS-P BAPT BAR-C BAR-M BELL BERB BOR BOTH-A BOTH-L BOV BROM BRY BUFO CACT CALC CALC-P CALC-S CANN-S CANTH CAPS CARB-AN CARB-V CARBN-S CARD-M CAUST CHAM CHIN CHIN-S CIC CINA CINNAM CINNB COFF CON COP COR-R CROC CROT-H CUPR DIG DROS DULC ELAPS ERIG EUPHR EUPI FERR FERR-AR FERR-P FERR-PIC GELS GLON GRAPH HAM HEP HIST HYDR HYOS IND INDG IOD IP KALI-BI KALI-C KALI-CHL KALI-CY KALI-I KALI-N KALI-P KALI-S KREOS LAC-AC LAC-C LACH LAP-LAZ LAVA-H LED LEPRO LYC LYSS M-ARCT MAG-C MAG-M MATI MED MELI MERC MERC-C MERC-CY MEZ MILL MOSCH MUR-AC NAJA NAT-C NAT-M NAT-N NAT-P NAT-S NIT-AC NUX-M NUX-V OXAL PETR PH-AC PHOS PLAT PSOR PULS RAT RHOD RHUS-T RUMX RUTA SABAD SABIN SANG SARS SEC SEP SIL SIN-N SOL-T-AE SPONG STANN STRAM SUL-AC SULPH SYMPH TARAX TARENT TER THLASPI THUJ TIL TRIL TUB UST VERAT VIP WIES ZINC
Blood-black and thick: Croc., Merc., Nux, Puls.; black and thin: Crotal., Ham., Nitr. ac., Sec., Sulph. ac.; tenacious: Croc., Merc., Sec., Veratr.; pale: Bar., Carb. an., Crotal., Dig., Dulc., Kreos., Hyosc., Led., Sabad.; clotted: Arn., Bell., Cham., Croc., Fer., Ipec., Merc., Nitr. ac., Nux v., Puls., Rhus, Stram.; dark and non-coagulable: Ham., Lach.; dark and coagulating: Croc., Merc., Puls., Nux v.
Bleeding-mornings: Agn. cas., Amb., Amm. carb., Bell., Berb., Bor., Bov., Bry., Calc., Canth., Caps., Carb. v., Chin., Colch., Dros., Graph., Hep., Kali carb., Kreos., Lach., Magn., Natr., Nitr. ac., Nux v., Phos., Rhus, Sep., Stann., Sulph., Thuj.; afternoon: Carb. an., Lyc., Natr. sulph., Nitr., Sulph.; evening: Ant. crud., Bor., Coff., Colch., Dros., Fer., Graph., Lach., Lyc., Phos., Sep., Sulph. ac., Sulph.; night: Bell., Calc., Carb. v., Graph., Magn. mur., Natr. m., Natr. sulph., Rhus, Veratr.; while sleeping: Bry., Merc., Natr. sulph., Nitr. ac., Puls., Sulph., Veratr.; when washing face: Amm. carb., Arn., Kali carb.; after dinner: Amm. carb., Arg. nit.
Nosebleed-vicarious: Bry., Ham., Lach., Puls.; before menses: Lach.; menses too scanty: Puls., Sec., Sep.; too profuse: Acon., Calc., Croc., Sabad.; amenorrhoea: Bry., Ham., Lach., Phos., Puls., Sep.; during pregnancy: Cocc., Sep.; climaxis: Bell., Bry., Ham., Lach., Nux v., Puls., Sep., Sulph. ac., Sulph.; in diphtheria: Ars., Carb. v., Chin., Lach., Merc. cyan., Nitr. ac., Phos.; in typhoids: Bry., Crot., Lach., Phos. ac. (no relief), Rhus; from anaemia: Carb. v., Chin., Cin., Fer., Sec.; from hyperaemia: Acon., Alum., Bell., Bufo, Cham., Croc., Graph., Melilotus, Rhus; from worms: Cin., Merc., Spig., Tereb.
Bleeding-mornings: Agn. cas., Amb., Amm. carb., Bell., Berb., Bor., Bov., Bry., Calc., Canth., Caps., Carb. v., Chin., Colch., Dros., Graph., Hep., Kali carb., Kreos., Lach., Magn., Natr., Nitr. ac., Nux v., Phos., Rhus, Sep., Stann., Sulph., Thuj.; afternoon: Carb. an., Lyc., Natr. sulph., Nitr., Sulph.; evening: Ant. crud., Bor., Coff., Colch., Dros., Fer., Graph., Lach., Lyc., Phos., Sep., Sulph. ac., Sulph.; night: Bell., Calc., Carb. v., Graph., Magn. mur., Natr. m., Natr. sulph., Rhus, Veratr.; while sleeping: Bry., Merc., Natr. sulph., Nitr. ac., Puls., Sulph., Veratr.; when washing face: Amm. carb., Arn., Kali carb.; after dinner: Amm. carb., Arg. nit.
Nosebleed-vicarious: Bry., Ham., Lach., Puls.; before menses: Lach.; menses too scanty: Puls., Sec., Sep.; too profuse: Acon., Calc., Croc., Sabad.; amenorrhoea: Bry., Ham., Lach., Phos., Puls., Sep.; during pregnancy: Cocc., Sep.; climaxis: Bell., Bry., Ham., Lach., Nux v., Puls., Sep., Sulph. ac., Sulph.; in diphtheria: Ars., Carb. v., Chin., Lach., Merc. cyan., Nitr. ac., Phos.; in typhoids: Bry., Crot., Lach., Phos. ac. (no relief), Rhus; from anaemia: Carb. v., Chin., Cin., Fer., Sec.; from hyperaemia: Acon., Alum., Bell., Bufo, Cham., Croc., Graph., Melilotus, Rhus; from worms: Cin., Merc., Spig., Tereb.
Homoeopathic medicines for Epistaxis
Arnica montana
Epistaxis, preceded by tingling; copious after every exertion, from mechanical causes; after washing face, during whooping-cough, typhus, etc.; nosebleed in growing children; discharge of several drops of thin blood from nose on first blowing it in the morning; blood bright-red, mixed with clots and leaving a bruised sensation behind.
Ammonium carbonicum
Epistaxis every morning on washing face, after dinner, after repeated sneezing, especially if after the flow has ceased a bloody mucus is often blown from the nose; epistaxis with dry coryza, especially at night, without the slightest air passing through; when stooping blood rushes to tip of nose. Hands look blue after washing in cold water and veins distended.
Carbo vegetabilis
Frequent and continued nosebleed, especially in the morning and forenoon, or when pressing at a stool, great paleness of face during and after bleeding; fainting sometimes before; blood thin and black, aggr. at night, in old and debilitated persons, excited by motions or jarring, aggr. after debauch (Nux v.); often followed by a pain over chest.
Crocus sativus
Discharge from one nostril of very tenacious, thick, stringy black blood, with cold sweat in large drops on forehead; suits women who menstruate long and profusely and are subject to fainting at the approach of menses; epistaxis in overgrown, delicate children; periodicity and chronicity; yellowish, sallow color of face; sour taste in mouth.
Crotalus horridus
Epistaxis at onset or during course of zymotic or septic diseases (Bapt.) or in broken-down constitutions with depraved state of blood, which is thin, dark and does not coagulate; flushes of face, vertigo, fainting; especially during diphtheria (Lach., Nitr. ac., Chin.).
Ferrum metallicum
Profuse and repeated bleeding, nostrils continually full of clotted blood, especially in anaemic persons, subject to ebullitions, with an ashy pale face, flushing easily, who are always cold, even in bed; emaciated and weak from recurrent epistaxis (Chin.); epistaxis in children with frequent changes in color of face; blood light or lumpy, coagulates easily (Merc., Puls.). Fer. picr. will often relieve, where the metal fails.
Hamamelis virginiana
Flow passive, non-coagulable, with feeling of tightness at the bridge of the nose; profuse, idiopathic or vicarious, especially in young, anaemic girls or when there is haemoptysis at the same time. Mind calm, fulness of head.
Pulsatilla pratensis
Nosebleed from suppressed menses, blood partly fluid and partly clotted, intermitting in intensity, aggr. by going into a warm room or in a recumbent position. Nosebleed with dry coryza in anaemic women whose courses are scanty, late or suppressed.